High schoolshttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/ - High schoolsen-usSat, 25 Jul 2015 19:05:33 -0400The Times' 2015 All-Area Track and Field Teamshttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111068/<p><strong>Boys All-Area Track and Field First Team</strong></p>
<p><strong>Hunter Mallard (Athlete of Year)</strong><br /><strong>Gainesville</strong><br /><strong>Sophomore</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champ in Class AAAAA pole vault, USAT&amp;F Region 4 champ, qualified for USAT&amp;F National Junior Olympics</p>
<p><strong>Malik Faulk</strong><br /><strong>Riverside Military</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champ in Class AA 300 meter hurdles, 5th at state in 110 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>Austin Pierce</strong><br /><strong>Lumpkin County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champ in Class AAA 100 meter dash, 7th at state in 200 meter dash, Region 7-AAA champion in both events</p>
<p><strong>C.J. Howard</strong><br /><strong>Riverside Military</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State runner-up Class AA shot put, 7th in state in triple jump</p>
<p><strong>Donte Wilson</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Sophomore</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champ in Class AAA discus</p>
<p><strong>Grant O&rsquo;Callaghan</strong><br /><strong>Flowery Branch</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAAAA 1600 meter run, 4th in 3200 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Jake Shewbert</strong><br /><strong>Flowery Branch</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAAAA 3200 meter run, 5th in 1600 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Juan Soto</strong><br /><strong>Johnson</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State runner-up in Class AAAA pole vault, Region 8-AAAA champ</p>
<p><strong>Todd Woodring</strong><br /><strong>Jackson County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State runner-up in Class AAA 400 meter dash, Region 8-AAA champ</p>
<p><strong>Jose Rodriguez</strong><br /><strong>Commerce</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champion in Class A Public 800 meter run</p>
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<p><strong>Boys All-Area Track and Field Second Team</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Quintin Miles</strong><br /><strong>North Hall</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAAA 1600 meter run, 6th at state in 3200 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Tucker Pearson</strong><br /><strong>Riverside Military</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 4th place at state in Class AA 300 meter hurdles, 8th in 110 meter hurdles, Region 8-AA champ in both events</p>
<p><strong>Dante Tate</strong><br /><strong>Riverside Military</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AA 400 meter dash, Region 8-AA champ</p>
<p><strong>Maurice Sutton</strong><br /><strong>White County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 6th place at state in Class AAAA boys long jump</p>
<p><strong>Michael Goza</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State runner-up in Class AAA discus</p>
<p><strong>Justin McCray</strong><br /><strong>Buford</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th at state in Class AAAA 300 meter hurdles, 6th in 110 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>Beau Rush</strong><br /><strong>Banks County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAA 800 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Tradd Porter</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 4th place at state in Class AAA 800 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Dalton Hill</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 4th place at state in Class AAA 300 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>JeJuan McCalston</strong><br /><strong>Riverside Military </strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 6th place at state in Class AA long jump</p>
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<p><strong>Girls All-Area Track and Field First Team</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Harper Seymour (Athlete of Year)</strong><br /><strong>North Hall</strong><br /><strong>Seymour</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champion in Class AAAA discus, Region 8-AAAA champion in discus and shot put</p>
<p><strong>Erin Marsh</strong><br /><strong>Buford</strong><br /><strong>Sophomore</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State champion in 300 meter hurdles, 6th place at state in 400 meter dash, Region 8-AAAA in both events</p>
<p><strong>Jenna Gearing</strong><br /><strong>White County</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAAA 3200 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Dominique Martin</strong><br /><strong>Buford</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 4th place at state in Class AAAA high jump</p>
<p><strong>Mia McKensey</strong><br /><strong>West Hall</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th place at state in Class AAA 100 meter hurdles, 6th place at state in high jump</p>
<p><strong>Mariah Starks</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Freshman</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 3rd place at state in Class AAA 100 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>Savannah Haberkam</strong><br /><strong>Dawson County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th place at state in Class AAA discus, 7th at state in shot put</p>
<p><strong>Makayla Hewell</strong><br /><strong>Banks County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 4th place at state in Class AAA 3200 meter run, Region 7-AAA champion in 3200 and 1600 meter runs</p>
<p><strong>Kaitlyn Duncan</strong><br /><strong>Banks County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 7th place at state in Class AAA high jump, Region 7-AAA champion in 3 events</p>
<p><strong>Trini Puente</strong><br /><strong>North Hall</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> Region 8-AAAA champion in 200 meter dash, Hall County champion in 3 events</p>
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<p><strong>Girls All-Area Track and Field Second Team</strong></p>
<p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Emma Garrison</strong><br /><strong>Union County</strong><br /><strong>Junior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> Region 8-AA champion in Class AA 800 meter and 1600 meter runs</p>
<p><strong>Tashauna Smith</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th place at state in Class AAA 400 meter dash</p>
<p><strong>Taylor Love</strong><br /><strong>Jefferson</strong><br /><strong>Freshman</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th place at state in clas AAA 300 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>Lindsey Grater</strong><br /><strong>Chestatee</strong><br /><strong>Freshman</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 7th place at state in Class AAAA 3200 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Mariah Millsap</strong><br /><strong>Flowery Branch</strong><br /><strong>Freshman</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 8th place at state in Class AAAAA 1600 meter run, Region 8-AAAAA champ</p>
<p><strong>Kate Massey </strong><br /><strong>Commerce</strong><br /><strong>Freshman</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> State runner-up in Class A Public 1600 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Carli Broome</strong><br /><strong>Banks County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> Region 7-AAA champ in 400 meter dash and 800 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Kayla Kelley</strong><br /><strong>Gainesville</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> Hall County champion in triple jump, 800 meter run</p>
<p><strong>Summer Boone</strong><br /><strong>Flowery Branch</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> Region 8-AAAAA champ in 100 meter hurdles, runner-up in 300 meter hurdles</p>
<p><strong>Sydney Kinard</strong><br /><strong>Lumpkin County</strong><br /><strong>Senior</strong><br /><strong>Notable:</strong> 5th place at state in Class AAA long jump</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>Sat, 25 Jul 2015 19:05:33 -0400http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111068/Gainesville's Hunter Mallard enjoying high-flying success at pole vaulthttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111067/<p>Hunter Mallard is talented and blessed &mdash; two great things going for the rising star in the pole vault from Gainesville High.</p>
<p>As a sophomore in 2015, he won the Class AAAAA state title in the pole vault at the Georgia Olympics, clearing the mark at 15 feet. As he continues to climb the ranks and set the bar higher, he&rsquo;s got instruction from Paul Malquist, a 2010 Gainesville High grad, who won two state and two national titles as a Red Elephant in high school doing the pole vault.</p>
<p>For his efforts, Mallard is The Times&rsquo; Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It felt good to win a state championship, it was a sense of accomplishment,&rdquo; said Mallard, who will compete this week at the National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Jacksonville, Fla. &ldquo;But I feel like it&rsquo;s just a step and I really want to go further with it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>When Mallard won his state championship in Jefferson, he got into the competition with only one other athlete remaining, after clearing a mark in qualifying of 13-6. Mallard said, in competition, his biggest hurdle is battling the understandable butterflies in a sport where you propel yourself into the air on the end of a highly flexible pole. With so many athletes dropping off the championship chase before the tall-and-slender Mallard started to compete, he said he had to sit and wait until early afternoon to begin.</p>
<p>In all aspects of this highly challenging event, Mallard&rsquo;s got Malquist, who went on to compete at the University of Georgia, to teach every angle of becoming the best athlete he can be.</p>
<p>When Malquist started training Mallard last fall, Mallard said instead of tweaking his performance, Malquist broke it down to the basics. Mallard said Malquist has covered all 14 parts of the pole vault, starting with the sprint down the runway to clearing the bar in the air.</p>
<p>Malquist, who holds the school record (17 feet) and state record (16-8), said it is ultimately up to Mallard as to how far he goes with it. In terms of body frame, Malquist said his young student has a leg up on him, but still has a way to go to match Malquist&rsquo;s strength and speed.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to say how he&rsquo;ll progress,&rdquo; said Malquist. &ldquo;When he starts going after those higher marks, he&rsquo;s going to have to become that much more of a technician.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Mallard has already told Malquist that his marks are what he wants to break. Malquist said he&rsquo;s all in favor of having another Gainesville athlete take over his marks.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Hunter&rsquo;s gifted physically, and he&rsquo;s not done growing either,&rdquo; said Malquist.</p>
<p>Much of the training Malquist and Mallard do in practice together is done away from the pole vault pit. Mallard does lots of short-distance sprints, primarily the 100-yard and 200-yard, to fine-tune his fast-twitch muscles. Then in the weightroom, Malquist is going to have Mallard concentrate on the lifts to help his leg strength, such as front squats, dead lifts, and the incline bench press for upper body strengthening.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Working with Paul has been extremely helpful,&rdquo; said Mallard. &ldquo;He was able to take me back down to the basics and work on every angle of things.</p>
<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got me to where I focus on one step at a time.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Malquist said that Mallard will also start experimenting with new poles, which will hopefully improve his performance.</p>
<p>In addition to cross training, Mallard has experience in different events in track and field, prior to settling on the pole vault as his specialty. Mallard has done it all, including the discus, long jump, high jump, hurdles and sprinting.</p>
<p>Mallard has also learned how to dissect, to find the best performance, during his sprint down the runway, which ranges from 80-90 feet.</p>
<p>&ldquo;He really wants to take it to the next level,&rdquo; said Malquist. &ldquo;Even though he&rsquo;s still very new to the pole vault, he&rsquo;s like a sponge for information, a very smart kid.&rdquo;</p>Bill MurphySat, 25 Jul 2015 18:57:12 -0400http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111067/North Hall's Harper Seymour goes out a state champion in discushttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111064/<p>Harper Seymour had a habit of saving her best for last.</p>
<p>Winding her body quickly, then releasing the discus with precision and amazing strength, this North Hall High senior went out on top as a state champion on her last attempt.</p>
<p>There was plenty of time to worry on Seymour&rsquo;s end within the state championship atmosphere.</p>
<p>First, she had to wait her turn to take to the throwing circle. Then, it was a matter of execution with everyone watching in Albany. Lastly, she had to wait it out to see if she&rsquo;d done enough to carry home the championship.</p>
<p>Seymour showed with all the dynamics at play, she could get it done.</p>
<p>Seymour turned her final throw in the discus into a state championship distance of 127 feet on May 7 at Hugh Mills Stadium.</p>
<p>For her efforts, Seymour is The Times&rsquo; Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It felt amazing to win the championship,&rdquo; said Seymour, who will study at the University of Georgia in the fall.</p>
<p>In the Class AAAA division of the discus, Seymour struggled through her first five throws at state. Before going 127 on the final attempt, Seymour stood in seventh place at 120-10. She had three throws out of bounds, due to many factors, including nerves. That&rsquo;s when the two-time state champion took a deep breath and reminded herself just to let her technique take control.</p>
<p>She didn&rsquo;t want to accept settling for seventh place, after winning it all in Class AAA as a junior (119) for North Hall.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I just had to remind myself that I&rsquo;d done it before,&rdquo; said Seymour, who passed on an opportunity to compete at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. She said being a lifelong Bulldog fan trumped an offer to compete at the next level.</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s also something satisfying about knowing your final throw ever was a personal best and good for a state championship.</p>
<p>Seymour&rsquo;s best throw at state was six inches better than the runner-up, Bryana Scott of Thomas County Central.</p>
<p>Also at state, Seymour took home sixth place in the shot put (38-5).</p>
<p>Her success built quickly over time with constant focus on her form. She took part in weekend clinics in Marietta with the Throw 1 Deep Club.</p>
<p>Seymour first took to the throws in middle school. It wasn&rsquo;t an immediate fit, she said, since she wasn&rsquo;t as tall as the other girls. With steady coaching, Seymour found she had a profound love for the discus.</p>
<p>Throughout her high school career, Seymour garnered seven region championships.</p>Bill MurphySat, 25 Jul 2015 17:17:48 -0400http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111064/Gainesville High's Spencer Ralston falls in Round of 16 at US Junior Amateur Championshiphttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111057/<p>Gainesville High&rsquo;s Spencer Ralston fell Friday in the Round of 16 at the United States Junior Amateur Championship at The Colleton River Plantation Club Dye Course in Bluffton, S.C.</p>
<p>Ralston, a senior, fell 1-up to eventual finalist Andrew Orischak of Hilton Head, S.C.</p>
<p>After advancing to match play Ralston defeated Matthew Ruel of Oldsmar, Fla. (2 and 1) in the Round of 64 and took down Trent Phillips of Inman, S.C. (3 and 2).</p>
<p>Ralston qualified for match play by shooting 74-72 Monday and Tuesday, tying for 31<sup>st</sup> place.</p>Fri, 24 Jul 2015 21:40:16 -0400http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111057/Longtime wrestling coach David Hartis to be inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Famehttp://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111056/<p>David Hartis was in the audience when friend and former prot&eacute;g&eacute; Doug Thurmond was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007. Nine years later, Hartis will be the one receiving the plaudits. </p>
<p>Hartis, who served 31 years as a wrestling coach between Johnson High and North Hall, will be inducted into the Georgia chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on May 1, 2016. After starting his career at Chamblee High School in Dekalb County, Hartis took over at Johnson in 1980, where he helped found the Hall County Championships, which has continued as a popular local tournament since its inception in 1982. </p>
<p>Before leaving to become an assistant coach at North Hall, Hartis switched roles at Johnson to serve under then-rookie head coach Thurmond. Thurmond eventually went on to win 30 state championships at Jefferson High. </p>
<p>Hartis coached for 13 seasons at Johnson, then coached at North Hall from 1993 until he officially retired in 2011. The longtime coach will be inducted next May at the Marietta Conference Center in Marietta. The time has not yet been announced. </p>
<p>&ldquo;When he asked me to be a guest at his induction, I didn&rsquo;t know much about it,&rdquo; said Hartis. &ldquo;I had been wrestling all my life, but I never thought about the Hall of Fame &hellip; I was really honored to be inducted. I&rsquo;ve more of been a mentor for young coaches that have been extremely successful. I&rsquo;m guessing that&rsquo;s why they wanted to induct me.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Like Thurmond, Hartis will be inducted for &ldquo;lifetime service&rdquo; to the sport of wrestling, and will have a plaque at the Hall of Fame&rsquo;s national base near Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. </p>
<p>Hartis was a wrestler at Lithonia High School, and helped his team win a state championship in his senior year in 1971. </p>
<p>Hartis said Friday he preferred to be in an assistant coaching role during his career, getting to practice with his players on the mat, rather than be bogged down in administrative duties like organizing matches and tournaments. He called going into the Hall &ldquo;a great honor.&rdquo; </p>
<p>His Johnson High teams won the first three Hall County Championships that were held. The tradition is still widely attended throughout the county to this day. </p>
<p>Hartis joins several other inductees with local ties. </p>
<p>Errol Bisso (2005), Paul White (2007) and Cliff Ramos (2008) were all inducted after long coaching careers in the county. Bisso spent much of his career at Riverside Military Academy, Ramos was a former East Hall coach, while White split his time between Gainesville High, North Hall, Chestatee and West Hall. </p>
<p>&ldquo;He was instrumental in the early success of Hall County wrestling,&rdquo; said White of Hartis. &ldquo;(The Hall County Championships) helped people respect the county throughout the state. I&rsquo;m glad he&rsquo;s going into the Hall. He&rsquo;s certainly a deserving coach.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Thomas Edwards (2007) and Reggie Glaze (2009) were both former coaches of North Hall who were inducted, while fellow inductee James Mills (2007) wrestled for Johnson High before he became a state senator.</p>
<p>Hartis said he&rsquo;ll likely make a speech during next year&rsquo;s induction, emphasizing that he wanted his wrestlers to grow up to be &ldquo;outstanding individuals, not just wrestlers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>David ThackhamFri, 24 Jul 2015 21:24:18 -0400http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/28/article/111056/